Wrench



J. H. HILTON July 22, 1952 WRENCH Filed July 12, 1949 INVENTOR. Jouu H. HILTON Patented July 22, 1952 UNITED PATENT OFFICE John Hilton, ltlorth Platte, Nebr.; Albert H.

Hilton executor of said John H. Hilton, deceased 1 Application July '12, 1949, Serial No. 104,299

' v. 2Claims. (Cl.74- 157) This invention relates to'an improved wrench, the primary object of the invention being to provide-awrench involving a longitudinally elongated handle terminating at one end in a transverse axis workengaging element arrangedto be rotated to turn the work either'through swingingthe handle on the axis of the workengagi'ng element or through axial rotation of a portion of the handle which is operatively connected to the work engaging-element.

Another important object of the the provision of a wrench of the character indicated above wherein ratchet means is incorporated in such a way as to be operative whether the work engaging element be rotated in engageinvention is ment. with the work by swinging the handle or by 'axially'rotating apart of the handle.

Other important objects and advantageous features-of the invention will be apparent from the following description and appendeddrawings,. wherein, merely. for illustrative purposes,

specific r embodiments of the invention are set forth in detail.

vInrthe drawings:

Figure-l is a front end elevation.

Figure 2 is a rear end elevation.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1. 7

Figures 4, and 6 are enlarged transverse vertical sections taken on the lines 4-4, 55 and 6' 6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional detail taken on the line of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 3 of another embodiment of the invention.

Figures 9 and 10 are transverse vertical sections taken on the lines 99 and |0-|0of Figure 8;'

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 to 7 therethrough, the embodiment of the invention therein shown comprises anaxially elongated cylindrical tubular handle I 2 terminating at its forward end in a laterally .projecting'worm-wheel case l3 of three-quarter flat cylindrical form. As indicated in Figure 4,'the inner faces of the sidewalls of the case |3 are cylindrically recessed at I4, 14 to provide bearingsgfor the pintles |5, |5 on the opposite sides of a wormwheel l6 having an axial stubshaft I! provided with a snap detent I8 for operatively supporting a work engaging element, such as a rat socket (not shown) the stubshaft |1 projecting freely through a hole l9 provided in the adjacent sidewall of the case l3.

, The inward side of the case |3 opens at into the adjacent side of an enlarged bore portion '2] of the handle I2, the forward end of the enlarged bore portion 2| being threaded at 22 to receive a retaining rat 23 having a tubular shank 24." The rear end of the bore portion 2| is reduced 'to define a shoulder 25.

A worm 26 positioned in the bore portion 2|; in mesh-with the wormwheel I6 terminates at its forward end in a collar 21 hearing against'the rearward end of the nut shank 24 and a smooth portion 28 beyond the collar which turns in a circle of needle bearings 29 confined in the tubular nut shank 24. The rearward end of the worm 26 terminates in a collar 30 bearing against the forward end of a second circle of needle bear: 7

ings 3 l" confined in a handle bore portion 32; "and terminates in a cylindrical shaft'33 journalleddn' the needle bearings 3| and extending to the rearward end of'the handle I8.

A ratchet wheel 34 larger than the handle i2- is suitably secured asindicated at 35 to the rear end of the worm shaft 33. The projectingmargin 'of the ratchet wheel 34 retains on the handle |2 a rotary tubular hand grip 36 whichtapers toward its forward end. The'rear end of the hand grip 36 is axially secured to provide {a ratchet chamber 31, closed by a removable cover plate 38 secured in place by screws 39. The cover plate'has a concentric arcuate slot 40 through which extends a shank 4| having anannular enlargement 4| to bear against the'forward side of the plate 38- in opposition to the head 42 of a screw 43 threaded into the shank 4| to clamp the shank 4| at a desired place along the slot 40.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the forward end of the shank 4| has diametrically opposed radially'projectin'g arms or fingers'44, 44 which 50, iifl'normall-y engaged with theteeth of the ratchet wheel 34by springs 5|, 5| mountedjon the :pivots 49 and bearing against the outer's i des of-the armstfl, 50. The ratchet adjusting shank 4| is shown in Figure 6 in an intermediate position wherein both ratchet dogs 48 engage the ratchet wheel 34. When the clamping screw 43 is loosened and the shank shifted along the slot 40 and clamped in a position at either end of the slot 40, the boss 45 of one shank arm 44 will have moved along the curved surface 46 of one of the from thefouter end 'of' the dog arm '41 and places it near the inner end of the arm 41 of the ratchet dog. In this arrangement of the adjusting shank:

4! the shaft 33, and hence the worm Wheel iii, are ratcheted to turn in one direction.

With the i adjusting shank positioned at the other end of V the slot 40 the shaft 33 and Wormwheel are ratcheted to turn in the opposite direction.

Because of the described arrangement and construction of the ratchet mechanism the-wrench can be used to turn a nut or the like in a confined or difiicult to reach place by applying the socket in the stubsha ft-jl'l' to the nut and rotating the hand gripviifi on the handle l2 in the proper direction to bring the nut up swung. In this action the ratchet mechanism acts to prevent retrograde or reverse rotation of the hand grip and of the nut being tightened. The nut may then be given a final tightening by swinging the handle [2 on the axis of the Wormwheel 16. In this action theratchet mechanism also acts to prevent retrograde or reverse rotation of the nut being tightened and provides step by step tightening of the nut by swinging the handle !2 back and forth. g I

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 to 1015 similarto that described aboveexcept that means is provided for positively locking the handgrip 35a against rotationon the handle I2a in either direction, this means taking the form of ahexagonal or octagonal portion 68 on the handle 120, at the forward end-of. the handgrip having slidable thereon a hexagonal or octagonalslip nut 6| arranged to enter a conform-- ably shaped recess 62 in the forward end of the handgrip 36a, wherein thehandle portion 66 is provided with asnap detent 53 for holding the slip rat releasable in place in the recess'62. The slip nut BI is adapted tobe moved out of the recess 62 when the wrench is to be operated by rotating the handgrip 36a and entered in the recess When'the Wrench is to be swung'on the axis a of the wormwheel l6. I

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench comprising a tubular cylindrical handle terminating at its forward end in a laterally projecting case, a wormwheel journalled in said case with-its axis at right angles to the axis of said handle, a stubshaft on said wormwheel projecting axially out of said case, a shaft positioned'longitudinally of and within said tubular handle and having apair of spaced collars inwardly of and adjacent the forward end thereof journaledin said handle, a longitudinally ex-,

tendingworm onthe portion of said shaft intermediate saidcollars and in mesh with said worm-j wheel, a ratchet wheel fixed OnJtherear end of said shaft and bearing against the rear end of said handle, a hollow tubular open ended. hand grip j ournaled longitudinally on said handle and hav ing therear open end extending beyond and enclosing the rear end of said handle, a cap closing and detachably secured to the rear open end of said hand grip, and reversible ratchet means on swung on the axis of said wormwheel to tighten or loosen a not with which said stubshaft is nonrotatably connected, and means non-rotatably mounted on said'handle and movable along said handle to engage a part of said hand grip for positively locking said hand grip against rotation relative to said handle. 7 v

2. A Wrench comprising a tubular cylindrical handle, terminating at its-forward end in a laterally projecting case, a wormwheel journalled in said case with'its axis at right angles to the axis ofsaid handle, a stubshaft on said wormwheel projecting axially out of said case, a shaft positioned longitudinally of and within said tubular handleiand having a pair of spaced collars inwardly of and adjacent the forward end thereof journaled in said handle, a longitudinally extending worm on the portion of said shaft inter? mediate said collars and in mesh with said wormwheel, a ratchet wheel fixed on the rear end of said shaft and bearingagainst the rear end of said handle,j a-ho1low 'tubularlopen ended handgrip journaled longitudinally on said handle and having the rear open end extendingbeyond and closing the rear end of said handle, a .capclos- V; inganddetachably secured tozthe rear open end of said'hand grip, and reversible ratchet means on, said cap, 'operatively engageable with said ratchet wheel to operatively connectsaidhand grip with said shaft, said handle having a noncylindrical portionflin front of said hand grip, a slip nut slidably mounted on said portion and normally occupying a-,positionlforward of said handgrip, said handgrip' having a part on its for- Ward end with which said slip nut'is non-rot'atably engageable when moved rearwardly along said non-cylindrical portion whereby said handgripis positively locked against rotation relative to said handle. fij p V JOHN H; HILTON.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references-are of "record in the idle of this patent:

1 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number.

Beach. June 9, 1925 j 

